Imaginational Intensity in Adults: Why Your Creativity Has Always Felt Like “Too Much”

I walked into a Kindergarten classroom at the school where I was the Gifted and Talented specialist and the teacher had forgotten that she signed her class up for a makerspace visit. When she announced to the class that they could pause working on their worksheet and line up at the door to learn in the makerspace, they literally cheered like they had just won the lottery. The excitedly entered the room and went to their station. One of the favorites was the inventing station that had lots of cardboard and duct tape. They created binoculars, purses, and stuffed animal houses. I was filled with energy as I saw my work result in joyful learning for the students.

The challenge was, however, that many staff members were uncomfortable with this approach to learning. Some people would comment that they didn’t have time for the makerspace in their schedule, so their class wouldn’t be visiting. Leaders made suggestions to me to coach teachers about educational strategies in the traditional way during their planning meetings, rather than integrate my coaching into the makerspace that I designed. I felt defeated, rejected, lonely, and misunderstood. I had vulnerably put myself out there, and not everyone was supportive.

The reality was, I needed the opportunity to imagine and be creative at work just as much as the students needed it. When I was planning the stations, buying materials, and planning the initiative, I got to use my imagination intensely. I felt energized and excited to move it forward. I felt proud when I saw students learning in a more self directed and imaginative way. The makerspace sparked joy and creativity.

Sometimes, as an outside the box thinker and creative, I have felt like my ideas are "too much." My imagination also presents challenges when I anxiously imagine many possibilities for the future and creatively problem solve for events that haven't happened yet. Learning about imaginational intensity helped me to leverage my imagination as a strength as well as support myself with the associated needs.

Imaginational intensity in adults is the deep, vivid, often relentless inner world that drives creativity, future-oriented thinking, storytelling, innovation, and big-picture vision. It’s common in gifted and neurodivergent adults. And it’s frequently misunderstood — especially in workplaces that reward linear execution over imaginative exploration.

When you have imaginational intensity, your brain doesn’t just generate one idea. It generates twenty. It doesn’t just consider one outcome. It plays out every possible scenario — including the catastrophic ones — in high definition.

That can feel like brilliance. It can also feel like anxiety.

Signs of Imaginational Intensity in Adults

Here are some traits of imaginational intensity:

• Creativity (i.e. painting, building, writing, baking, photography, drama, music)

• Loves stories and fictional worlds (i.e. storytelling, reading, video games, cosplay)

• Gets lost in daydreaming, doodling, or imagination (May be perceived as difficulty paying attention)

• Want to problem solve or figure out how something work

• Think in the big picture

• Challenge the status quo

• Propose changes to things that already work

• Invent new things and ideas

• Detailed visualization

• Elaborate dreams

• Frequent use of visuals and metaphors

• More ideas than it is possible to implement- hard to make decisions for your business with so much possibility!

This isn’t distractibility. It’s depth.

It’s a nervous system that lights up with possibility. It’s a mind that sees connections others don’t. It’s the ability to mentally prototype before anything exists in physical form.

When Imaginational Intensity Becomes Overwhelm

For many adults, imaginational intensity in adults shows up as:

• Future-tripping and worst-case-scenario spirals

• Difficulty narrowing down ideas in business

• Feeling misunderstood in traditional workplaces

• Being labeled “too much,” “too idealistic,” or “impractical”

The same mind that builds visionary systems can also imagine every way something could go wrong.

This is where nervous system regulation matters. Imagination without containment can turn into anxiety. But imagination with structure becomes innovation.

You don’t need to suppress your imagination. You need scaffolding for it.

Using Imaginational Intensity in Your Business

TIP: Use your imagination to create within your business. I have fun writing these emails because I get to tap into my creativity with storytelling. Sometimes my best ideas come on a walk in nature or while I am painting or doodling or just daydreaming on my bed. This "counts" as work time! It's fun, energizing, and taps into your unique strengths to envision new possibilities.

For entrepreneurs, imaginational intensity is often the engine behind:

• Innovative offers

• Creative marketing

• Big-picture strategy

• Systems that actually reflect how you’re wired

The key is designing your business in a way that works with your wiring — not against it.

If you recognize yourself here, your next step isn’t to become more conventional. It’s to understand your intensity more deeply so you can build sustainable systems around it.

You can start by taking the Intensity Quiz to discover your unique intensity profile and learn how to work the way you’re wired.

What is imaginational intensity in adults?

Imaginational intensity in adults is a heightened capacity for vivid inner imagery, big-picture thinking, storytelling, and generating multiple possibilities at once. It’s common in gifted and neurodivergent individuals.

Is imaginational intensity the same as anxiety?

No. While it can contribute to anxiety if unsupported, imaginational intensity is a creative and cognitive strength. With nervous system regulation and structure, it becomes innovation rather than overwhelm.

How do I manage too many ideas in my business?

Create containment systems: idea parking lots, structured brainstorming time, and decision-making frameworks that help you narrow options without suppressing creativity.